You already know that exercise during pregnancy is great for your health — but getting active soon after you give birth is just as important.
Regularly breaking a sweat boosts your energy levels, helps you to sleep better, relieves stress and even potentially staves off postpartum depression (PPD).
How much should I exercise after giving birth?
Experts at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity — i.e. anything that bumps up your heart rate and makes you break a sweat, like brisk walking or bike riding — every week (or 30 minutes a day five days a week), along with two days of strength training (which includes yoga, Pilates and lifting weights).
But when is it safe to start exercising again after giving birth and what postpartum workouts are okay to do? Your very first step should be talking with your practitioner and getting the green light.
Ready to get moving? Here are some of your most pressing postpartum exercise questions, answered.
How long after childbirth can I start exercising if I had a vaginal birth or a C-section?
Experts say all women can restart Kegel exercises and walk within the first 24 hours of giving birth for 30 minutes daily if they feel up to it — even if you had a C-section or complicated vaginal birth. Several five-minute jaunts count as much as half an hour straight.
“For a long time, women were advised to only slowly return to their pre-pregnancy physical activity after their deliveries,” says Raul Artal, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., chairman emeritus of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Louis University and the longtime lead author of ACOG’s prenatal exercise guidelines.
In the early 1980s, however, ACOG began encouraging women to exercise, pointing out that being sedentary in pregnancy and beyond can pose risks like blood clots and cardiovascular disease.
Read This Next
When you can return to other exercise, however, depends on your birth experience and whether you’re experiencing any red-flag symptoms (more on that below).
Ultimately, there are no hard-and-fast rules. Just be sure to get the okay from your doctor and listen to your body, advises Carrie Pagliano, DPT, a physical therapist specializing in women’s health in the Washington, D.C. area.
If you had a vaginal birth without complications, as long as you aren’t experiencing any more serious symptoms you can begin modified pre-pregnancy exercises almost immediately after birth (of course, this doesn't mean you have to, just that if you feel ready and your practitioner gave you the green light, it's safe to do so). Start with light weights (10 pounds or under), then increase intensity and duration slowly to your comfort level.
If you had a vaginal birth with tearing, it can take two to three weeks for extensive (i.e. third- or fourth-degree) tears to heal. In the meantime, talk to your doctor about walking and upper-body exercises, suggests Artal.
If you had a C-section, you should start walking the day after delivery if possible, or as soon as you feel ready (this will boost your circulation, lower your risk of developing a blood clot and help with gas). However, as far as exercise goes, you'll most likely want to wait until at least the six-week mark — you did just have major surgery, after all. The most important rule: Talk to your practitioner before you start any workout regime and get his or her okay.
What are the signs that my body isn’t ready to start exercising again?
Watch out for warning signs, including:
- Abdominal pain
- Vaginal pain
- Bleeding (i.e. lochia)
- Other fluid leakage (i.e. urine or feces)
- Heaviness in your pelvic region or the drooping of pelvic floor organs, including the vagina, bladder, rectum or uterus (which could be a sign of pelvic organ prolapse)
If you experience any of the above symptoms, stick to walking for now and check in your practitioner. “Your primary care doctor, OB/GYN or midwife knows you the best and can give you the right recommendation,” Pagliano says.
Lochia should mostly clear up within the first couple of weeks postpartum — making workouts a lot more feasible since you won’t have to wear a bulky pad.
What are some specific exercises that are safe to try when I first start exercising postpartum?
Once you get the okay from your practitioner to do more than walking workouts, you can begin stretching and strengthening exercises using light weights or your own bodyweight.
Warm up with knee lifts or walking for 10 minutes and cool down for five minutes. Start with very basic abdominal or pelvic floor moves, including pelvic tilts, lateral pelvic tilts, ab curls and oblique curls, and build from there.
Pagliano also suggests a mommy-and-me class, with a basic level that helps you to find your muscles again. “Over nine months plus delivery, your muscles have changed location, so you need to find them in your new posture and alignment,” she says.
Are there any exercises I should avoid initially?
With all of the stretching and pulling your abs have been through in the last nine months, you’ll definitely want to be extra cautious with ab work at first. Whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with diastasis recti, watch out for what Pagliano calls doming or bulging in the center of your abs.
If you notice either, skip the exercise and check in with your doctor or a physical therapist. And if you find yourself holding your breath or bearing down, that means you’re straining — which isn’t good for your pelvic floor or abs — so lighten your load or save the exercise for later, when you’ve built up more strength.
When is it okay to start high-intensity workouts like CrossFit if I was a regular before birth?
When you’ll be able to begin high-intensity exercise varies a lot, but how active you were before and during pregnancy has a big impact on how much exercise you’ll be able to tolerate after you give birth. If you weren’t a runner, now isn’t the time to start training for a half-marathon.
But many workout warriors who kept up with exercise during pregnancy and had an uncomplicated vaginal birth are ready to start with a modified Crossfit, running, cycling or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program three to four weeks postpartum.
Even if you were a Crossfit regular before you conceived but stopped during pregnancy, you can often begin scaling back into workouts within a few weeks of birth, says Pagliano. Just err on the side of caution and listen to your body — and definitely stop if you experience pain or bleeding.
Is there anything I should know about exercising if I’m breastfeeding?
First and foremost — and this will likely be painfully obvious — it’s best to breastfeed before you work out. “No one wants to run three miles with full breasts,” says Pagliano.
Another point in favor of a pre-workout feeding sesh: Pagliano says some women notice that their babies have a reaction to their milk right after vigorous exercise because of changes in the makeup of the milk. Working out can temporarily alter the levels of lactic acid, and while it won't affect the nutritional value of your milk, it can have an impact on the taste.
"In the past, there was hesitation because intense physical activities may cause breast milk to be more [acidic], or lower in pH … but the quality of your breast milk won’t change much," says Artal.
Be sure to invest in a supportive sports bra (your chest will thank you). And drink more fluids (an extra glass before and after your exercise session should do it).
What if exercise is painful, even though it's been at least six weeks after I gave birth?
Stop what you’re doing immediately, since pain usually indicates a problem that’s only likely to get worse if you push, and call your doctor, Artal says. Your practitioner will help you figure out what the problem is and can refer you to a physical therapist if necessary.
“In most states, you can see a physical therapist without a physician’s order, so check the direct access laws in your state,” says Pagliano. A PT can evaluate you and either offer exercises to help you heal or reach out to your doctor.
As long as your insurance includes physical therapy, your sessions should be covered. To find a physical therapist near you, visit the Women’s Health section of the American Physical Therapy Association and type in your zip code.
What are some signs I might be pushing myself too much during postpartum exercise?
In addition to the usual warning signs (pain, bleeding, leakage, pelvic heaviness), stop if you feel lightheaded or dizzy. And watch out changes in your milk production: A drop-off can indicate you’re pushing too hard, too fast.
“It’s tricky because you have a new body, so you have to figure out what’s normal and what’s not,” says Pagliano.
Keep in mind that just because urinary leakage is common doesn’t mean it’s “normal” or that it should keep you from enjoying your favorite exercises. In fact, it’s perfectly possible to retrain your perineal floor to stop leakage, especially if you check in with an expert early on.
How will exercising after having a baby be different?
How you’ll feel about working out postpartum is super personal. Everyone is different, and how you respond to exercise after giving birth depends on many factors, including any complications you may have had during labor and delivery. So listen to the signals your body is sending, and if you’re super tired, don’t feel well or are experiencing pain or leakage, talk to your doctor.
It may also help to frame exercise as a means for becoming healthier overall rather than as a way to fit back into your pre-pregnancy jeans. “That will get you the outcomes you’re looking for,” Pagliano says.
Can exercise prevent postpartum depression or anxiety?
The postpartum period is all about rebalancing potent pregnancy hormones with a new little person to take care of and very little sleep. For up to 1 in 5 women, that can result in postpartum depression (PPD). PPD is never your fault, and there many complex causes of it, but there is evidence that suggests exercise can help lower postpartum anxiety and depression symptoms in most women.
“Exercise not only supports your muscles and joints, but it does so much for your biochemistry,” Pagliano adds. “It provides a lovely stress outlet for people and is a natural way to help get your system back into balance. It gets you out with other friends with babies and builds a community to support you.”
How long before I’ll be close to my pre-pregnancy fitness levels?
By week six postpartum, almost everyone can return to their normal pre-pregnancy routines, says Artal, although some women find it takes longer. No matter your fitness level — whether you’re a pro athlete or an occasional yogi— be sure to work out only under the guidance of your doctor.
Keep in mind that if you were working out regularly before and during pregnancy, you’ll be back on track faster than if you skipped the gym for the past nine months (or more). “I’ve had patients who are able to exercise and run through pregnancy and pick it back up a couple of weeks later, but I’d say that’s not the norm,” says Pagliano.
Yes 
No 
Trending On What to Expect
